Notes on the thermal ecology of Testudo hermanni hermanni in Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain).

We studied the thermal ecology of Testudo hermanni hermanni in Menorca during late spring. We measured body temperatures of adult individuals, together with air and substrate temperatures at points of capture. Sunlight exposure (full sun, filtered sun, or shade) and type of substrate were also recorded. Body temperatures were similar between sexes (mean = 29.95°C) as were air temperatures between gender capture sites (mean = 28.33°C). Conversely, females were found in areas with a higher substrate temperature (31.60°C) than males were (29.15°C). Moreover, the correlation between body and air temperatures was stronger than it was between body and substrate temperatures, as found in other populations of this species. The tortoises were usually found in full sun, and the proportion of animals found in each sunlight category was similar between sexes. Our results contribute to the knowledge of the thermal ecology of the western Hermann's tortoise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]